This invention relates to a magnetic recording and reproducing device and, more particularly, to an analog type magnetic recording and reproducing device having digital input and output terminals.
A conventional analog tape recorder such as an analog cassette tape recorder is constructed as shown in FIG. 2. In this analog tape recorder, a switch 14 is connected to a recording side during a recording mode and an analog source signal delivered out of a source apparatus is applied to an analog input terminal 10 via a cable. The source signal is then amplified by a recording amplifier 12 and supplied to a head 16 through the switch 14 for being recorded on a tape 18. During a reproduction mode, the switch 14 is connected to a reproduction side and a reproduced signal is supplied to an analog output terminal 22 after being amplified by a reproduction amplifier 20 and then supplied to an analog tape input terminal of an amplifier (not shown) via a cable.
There have recently been developed various digital audio source apparatuses such as a CD (Compact Disc) player and a DAT (digital audio tape recorder). Some of these digital source apparatuses have, in addition to an analog output terminal from which a reproduced output is delivered out after being subjected to digital-to-analog conversion, a digital output terminal from which a reproduced signal is delivered out directly without being subjected to digital-to-analog conversion.
Since the conventional analog tape recorder has only an analog input terminal as shown in FIG. 2, such digital output from a digital source apparatus cannot be utilized effectively if it is desired to record the digital output by the conventional analog tape recorder. Recording of a reproduced signal from the digital source apparatus has to be made by using an analog output with resulting deterioration in an output signal in an input cable connecting the digital source apparatus and the analog tape recorder directly or through an audio amplifier for transmission of the signal in analog.
There have recently been developed audio amplifiers which have a digital input terminal. Since, however, the conventional analog tape recorder has only an analog output terminal, an analog input terminal only of such audio amplifier can be used with resulting deterioration in the signal in an output cable connecting the analog tape recorder and the audio amplifier for transmission of the signal in analog.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a magnetic recording and reproducing device capable of transmitting a signal in digital between a source apparatus and the magnetic recording and reproducing device and between the magnetic recording and reproducing device and an audio amplifier thereby to prevent deterioration in the signal occurring in input and output cables.